Yin ye gui
Cinnamomum mairei
Family: Lauraceae
What it is like
A tree. It grows 6-16 m tall. The trunk can be 30-80 cm across. The young branches are angled and purple-brown. The leaves are alternate or almost opposite. The leaf blade is 6-11 cm long by 2.5-4 cm wide. The flowers are white. The fruit is oval and 13 mm long by 7-8 mm wide.
There are about 250 Cinnamomum species.
Where it is found
A tropical plant. It grows in southern China between 1300-1800 m altitude. In Sichuan and Yunnan.
Countries/locations it is found in
Asia, China
How it is used for food
The bark of the young branches is used as a spice.
Edible parts
Bark, spice